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Winemaker's Notes

There's superb fruit here, and what some term "grip" or structure. In our context, this implies weight and flavor and not heaviness or overpowering density. The purity of the fruit of Verite La Joie is hard to resist now, but it will become even more velvety, without losing its dark fruit, during the next decade.

59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot

Verite Estate Winery

French for 'truth', Vérité reflects our commitment to crafting the most authentic expression of the vineyard.

Simply put, but profound in its intent, we are dedicated to producing red wines of style and substance using traditional methods and the finest fruit from mountain vineyards throughout Sonoma County.

The Vérité Estate is located in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountain range at the southern tip of Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. Our unique location is just north of the confluence of the Chalk Hill and Knights Valley appellations, an area know for superior soil, climate, and potential to express a strong sense of terroir.
View all Verite Estate Wines

About Sonoma County

Twice as large as Napa in size, Sonoma County only makes about a half the amount of wine as her northeasterly neighbor. But Sonoma, with her size, is able to vouch for more diversity within her borders, including sub-AVAs that are climatically varied. The atmosphere of Sonoma is decidedly laid back and down home country style. But in wines, they are keeping up with the Joneses, or Napa-ites if you will. Grape varieties are more varied here, from Pinot Noir and Zinfandel to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Notable Facts

The largest sub-AVAs of Sonoma include Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley and Sonoma Valley. Each sub-AVA, with its own micro-climate, is unique in its grape varieties and styles of wine. Dry Creek makes a mean Zinfandel while Russian River produces stand up Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Alexander Valley makes some of the better Cabernet Sauvignons in the county and Sonoma Valley creates excellent wines from all the above varieties. Other grapes found throughout Sonoma include Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

French for 'joy', La Joie emphasizes Cabernet Sauvignon and represents a Pauillac style wine. The wine is deep purple in
color, spicy and intense in the nose, with density and structure from its Cabernet Sauvignon dominance.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Crisp

Light to medium bodied wines that are high in acid and light to medium fruit. Typically no oak.